High Ridge Road delivers in thrilling Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie S.
RSS Feeds Wednesday, February 22, 2017
High Ridge Road's well-timed stretch run carried the 5-year-old mare to a neck victory over By the Moon in the $300,000 Barbara Fritchie S. (G2) Feb. 18 at Laurel Park, the first graded win for the Eddie Woods sales grad.

Despite drawing the inside post in the field of eight, jockey Horacio Karamanos took High Ridge Road back off the pace. Around the turn, High Ridge Road looked to be losing ground, but Karamanos sent her five-wide into the stretch, and gaining ground with every stride, took the lead just before the wire.

The final time for the seven furlongs was 1:22.50.

“I’ve been a little nervous about being in the one post position all week since they drew the race and was concerned about that, but I thought Karamanos negotiated himself out of the one-hole pretty well,” winning trainer Linda Rice said. “In the middle of the turn I thought we might be in trouble; she wasn’t making up any ground, but then as soon as he got her to the outside in the stretch and she switched her lead she’s really got a great closing kick so I was very excited.”  

High Ridge Road has never lost in four outings at Laurel, including the $100,000 Thirty Eight Go Go S. on New Year's Eve. Her overall record now stands at 5-2-3 in 11 starts, with earnings of $413,990 for owner Martin Schwartz.

Original purchased for $180,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling sale, Woods sold High Ridge Road the following year to Schwartz for $350,000 at the OBS Spring 2-year-olds sale.

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